Your Thyroid and Weight loss – The Connection is Real

Posted on April 22, 2014 by admin

Your thyroid dictates much of your metabolism, any malfunction or disease afflicting this area may cause you to have problems in metabolism leading to a drastic problem with your weight – you may either gain weight, lose weight, or may find that losing weight is harder than usual.

Those that plan diets do not take into consideration how their thyroids and metabolism may affect their weight loss program. Most experts and even the media pitch in and recommend that the best way to lose weight is cut calories.

Those with a condition called hyperthyroidism suffer from an over-active thyroid leading to one having his or her metabolism sky-rocket. If this is the case, then you will probably lose weight fast. This is a nice proposition for some who wish to lose weight. However, this is actually hazardous to the health.

Aside from the medical difficulties such a disease brings, one will also notice weight problems as a result. These people have trouble keeping on weight and may notice weakness and bulging of the eyes. This disease may need special treatment from doctors.

Hypothyroidism on the other hand works in the other direction – slowing metabolism until the body gains weight at an incredible rate. Like hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism causes a general weakness in the body. It too may need special treatment and may cause serious health problems if left unattended.

While cutting calories in itself can be very hard for most people – imagine, the people involved in life and death struggles at the supermarket regarding whether to buy that extra box of sweets, some have exactly the opposite problem.

Instead of eating too much calories – which is a problem in itself, they eat too little calories instead.

Problem? What Problem

The problem with some is that they believe that since the experts say that they have to cut calories, cutting calories to an inordinate amount will reap greater results. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way. While cutting calories helps diets, consuming too little calories pushed the body into a hoard mode, the body’s metabolism slow to adapt to the lesser amount of available energy.

If your body enters this mode, your body will work at such slow metabolism that losing weight becomes impossible. The technique here should be to reduce calories without the body slowing its metabolism. Only then can losing weight become easier.

Another problem that can arise from decreased metabolism is that when your metabolism slows due to a drastic reduction in metabolism, and then you suddenly eat a good, hearty, calorie-filled meal, you are bound to gain more weight owing to the increased surplus of energy.

This is why an imbalanced meal is highly discouraged among those that seek to lose weight. The sudden loss and increase of calories will cause an imbalance in one’s energy consumption directly affecting fat deposit.

Here is a simple computation to help you get to the right amount of calories you will need per day so that you get your nutrients in the right balance.

First of all, multiply your weight in kilograms by 30. If you only know your weight in pounds, divide it by 2.2 to get to its English equivalent. We divide this number by 30 because that is the number of calories you need to maintain your weight per pound of weight.

For example if your weight in pounds is 150, divide it by 2.2. That will give you a figure of 68.18. This is your weight in kilograms. Multiply this by 30 and you will arrive at the amount of calories you will need per day to maintain 150 lbs.

You may consult a nutritionist to help you lose weight. In the end it all comes down to maths. If you consume more that your body needs, it stores it as fat. Now is probably a good time to start studying the back of those grocery cartons.

Try to keep your diet at a 40% protein, 25% fat, and 35% carbohydrate meals at 300 calories per meal. Spread out these meals in a day for optimum results.

While it may be simple computation to get at numbers, do not forget the earlier mentioned fact that the body adapts to its condition. Expose it to extreme ones and you may find yourself getting results you never wanted. Consult a nutritionist for more advice.

Exercise and Type 2 Diabetes

Posted on April 20, 2014 by admin

One of the most undemanding and the most workable ways to knock over blood sugar amount, eliminate the dangers of “cardiovascular disease,” and perk up health and welfare in general is exercise.

In spite of that, in today’s inactive world where almost every indispensable job can be carried out on-line, from the ergonomic chair in front of a computer, or with a streaming line of messages from a fax machine, exercising can be a hard argument to win over.

The Weight of Exercise

Everyone should exercise, yet the health experts tells us that only 30% of the United States population gets the recommended thirty minutes of daily physical activity, and 25% are not active at all. In fact, inactivity is thought to be one of the key reasons for the surge of type 2 diabetes in the U.S., because inactivity and obesity promote insulin resistance.

The good news is that it is never too late to get moving, and exercise is one of the easiest ways to start controlling your diabetes. For people with type 2 diabetes in particular, exercise can improve insulin sensitivity, lower the risk of heart disease, and promote weight loss.

Type 2 Diabetes

Diabetes is on the rise. The number of people diagnosed with diabetes every year increased from 1980 through to 2011 by 176%. Nearly all the new cases are Type 2 Diabetes, or adult-onset, the kind that moves in around middle age. Symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes include increased thirst, appetite, and need to urinate; feeling tired, edgy, or sick to the stomach; blurred vision; tingling or loss of feeling in the hands.

The causes of type 2 diabetes are complex and not completely understood, although research is uncovering new clues at a rapid pace.

However, it has already been proven that one of the reasons for the boom in type 2 diabetes is the widening of waistbands and the trend toward a more deskbound and inactive lifestyle in the United States and other developed countries. In America, the shift has been striking; in the 1990s alone, obesity increased by 61% and diagnosed diabetes by 49%.

For this reason, health experts encourage those who already have type 2 diabetes to start employing the wonders that exercise can do for them. Without exercise, people have the tendency to become obese. Once they are obese, they have bigger chances of accumulating type 2 diabetes.

Today, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reports that over 80% of people with type 2 diabetes are clinically overweight. Therefore, it is high time that people, whether inflicted with type 2 diabetes or not, should start doing those jumping and stretching activities.

Getting Started

The first order of business with any exercise plan, especially if you are a “dyed-in-the-wool” sluggish, is to consult with your health care provider. If you have cardiac risk factors, the health care provider may want to perform a stress test to establish a safe level of exercise for you.

Certain diabetic complications will also dictate what type of exercise program you can take on. Activities like weightlifting, jogging, or high-impact aerobics can possibly pose a risk for people with diabetic retinopathy due to the risk for further blood vessel damage and possible retinal detachment.

If you are already active in sports or work out regularly, it will still benefit you to discuss your regular routine with your doctor. If you are taking insulin, you may need to take special precautions to prevent hypoglycaemia during your workout. Most people with insulin-treated diabetes notice that symptoms of hypoglycaemia change and become less obvious the longer they live with the condition, so extra precautions really are essential.

Start Slow

For those who have type 2 diabetes, your exercise routine can be as simple as a brisk nightly neighborhood walk. If you have not been very active before now, start slowly and work your way up. Walk the dog or get out in the yard and rake. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Park in the back of the lot and walk. Every little bit does work, in fact, it really helps a lot.

As little as 15 to 30 minutes of daily, heart-pumping exercise can make a big difference in your blood glucose control and your risk of developing diabetic complications. One of the easiest and least expensive ways of getting moving is to start a walking program. All you need is a good pair of well-fitting, supportive shoes and a direction to head in.

Indeed, you do not have to waste too many expenses on costly “health club memberships,” or the most up-to-date health device to start pumping those fats out. What you need is the willingness and the determination to start exercising to a healthier, type 2 diabetes-free life.

The results would be the sweetest rewards from the effort that you have exerted.

Healthy Eating Can Help You Avoid Stress

Posted on April 13, 2014 by admin

Whenever we get too busy or stressed, we all tend to make poor food choices that will actually increase stress and cause other problems. To get the most of your healthy eating and avoid stress, follow these simple tips.

Always eat breakfast,

Even though you may think you aren’t hungry, you need to eat something. Skipping breakfast makes it harder to maintain the proper blood and sugar levels during the day, so you should always eat something. One of the best things to start the day is porridge with some chopped dried apricot of sliced banana as a sweetener, as this releases energy right through the morning.

Carry a snack,

Keeping some protein rich snacks in your car, office, or pocket book will help you avoid blood sugar level dips, the accompanying mood swings, and the fatigue. Trail mix, granola bars, and energy bars all have the nutrients you need.

Healthy munches,

If you like to munch when you’re stressed out, you can replace chips or other non healthy foods with carrot sticks, celery sticks, or even sunflower seeds, or my personal favourite a nice juicy apple, there’s a lot to the old saying an apple a day keeps the doctor at bay.

Bring your lunch,

Although a lot of people prefer to eat fast food for lunch, you can save a lot of money and actually eat healthier if you take a few minutes and pack a lunch at home. Even if you only do this a few times a week, you’ll see a much better improvement over eating out. Something like a Tuna Pasta Salad is really healthy, and you can make so many variations you could almost have it every lunch time, followed by some fruit.

Stock your home,

As important as it is to get the bad food out of your house, it’s even more important to get the good food in! The best way to do this is to plan a menu of healthy meals at snacks at the beginning of the week, list the ingredients you need, then go shop for it. This way, you’ll know what you want when you need it and you won’t have to stress over what you need to get. As long as you keep your refrigerator stocked with plenty of fresh vegetables, fruits, and eggs, and your larder has some tins of tuna, and packets of rice and pasta you will always be able to put a healthy meal together.

Vegetarians Healthy Eating Plans

Posted on April 1, 2014 by admin

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VEGETARIAN, DEFIANTLY NOT BORING…

The vegetarian way of eating can be a very healthy style of eating. The rules still apply with healthy eating, although you should add variety, balance, and moderation. A vegetarian is someone who avoids all types of meat, whether it be hamburgers, hot-dogs, chicken, or even fish.

Vegetarians are also sometimes classified by the type of food they are or aren’t willing to eat. For example, Lacto-ovo vegetarians will avoid animal flesh yet they will eat eggs and most dairy products. A Vegan on the other hand, will avoid all food that has any trace of
animal origin. Because they don’t eat meet, vegetarians will often wonder how they’ll get enough protein. Although you may not realize it, the average American actually consumes more protein than he actually needs. For the lacto-ovo vegetarian, dairy products are an excellent source of protein. Vegans on the other hand, get their protein from nuts, seeds, and soy products.

Along the lines of beans, there are several to choose from, including green or red lentils, peanuts, split peas, pinto, soy, kidney, and many more. Some of them you are already familiar, such as kidney beans in chilli, refried beans in Mexican dishes, red beans and rice, and pinto beans. Although some beans taste good as they are, others are available with different flavours to help enhance their taste. Nuts are high in protein, although they deliver a lot more fat than beans, which means you should enjoy them in moderation. By having one cup of cooked beans, you’ll get the same amount of protein as eating two ounces of meat!

The nutrients of concern for vegans, who avoid all types of animal food, are vitamin B12, calcium, and vitamin D. In the average North American diet, the primary source for B12 is animals. To have an adequate intake of B12, vegans should regularly consume vitamin B12 supplements or foods, which contain vitamin B12, such as soy products or milk.

For calcium, vegans can rely on orange juice or soy milk, as they are fortified with calcium. Beans and leafy green vegetables will also contain some calcium as well. Although all types of vegetarians rely on simple food groups, controlling your vitamins and calcium intake is something you should always do. This is very important for eating healthy, as well as staying healthy. If you control what you eat, you’ll have many years of healthy eating ahead of you.

Eating For A Healthy Heart

Posted on March 30, 2014 by admin

Bad cholesterol or a bad diet is something we all experience at some point in time. It’s impossible to eat healthy our whole lives, even though we may try hard to do it. Eating healthy for your heart is something everyone should try to do, especially when it comes to restoring health and reducing heart attacks.

Your heart and food

We know these things for sure – a diet high in saturated fats will help raise your cholesterol, which is a risk factor for heart disease. People that are obese are more prone to heart disease. A diet high in sodium may elevate your blood pressure, leading to inflammation and even heart disease.

To help prevent heart disease and improve your health, follow the tips below.

Eat plenty of fish

Herring, sardines, and salmon are all excellent sources of Omega 3 essential fatty acids. Other fish are great to, although Omega 3 may help to get your cholesterol down to a healthier level.

Choosing healthy fats and oils

Saturated fat will increase the risk of heart disease. it’s found in meat, butter, and even coconut oil. You should avoid them until your cholesterol levels are down and you are at a healthy weight. Even those that love red meats can enjoy seafood and nuts for their main sources of protein. Mono-unsaturated fats such as olive oils will help you to protect your heart. Olive oil is an ideal choice for cooking, dressing, or even as a dipping sauce.

Plenty of fibre

Fibre can help you control your cholesterol. You can find fibre in whole grain products to help control sugar absorption as well, which will help you keep your digestive system healthy.

Choosing carbohydrates

Eating for your heart involves staying away from sugary foods such as candy, cookies, cakes, and pastries. Eating a lot of sugar isn’t good for your heart disease at all. Healthy carbohydrates involve whole grain breads, whole grain pasta, brown rice, and a lot of vegetables. You should make fruits and vegetables the main aspect of your diet.

Healthy cooking methods

Stir frying and sautéing with olive oil or canola oil are both great methods, as you shouldn’t dip your food in batter and fry it any more. If you cook chicken, remove the skin and bake it in the oven in foil. Instead of frying your fish you should always bake it. Steaming your vegetables can help maintain the most nutrients. You shouldn’t use cream sauces or lots of butter any more either. When you eat vegetables, try squeezing lemon juice on them or using your favourite seasoning’s.

As you make the proper changes to your diet, keep in mind that it takes time for them to become habits. Eating healthy is always great for your body and your lifestyle, especially when it comes to your heart and the prevention of heart disease.

Do You Enjoy Your Diet?

Posted on March 10, 2014 by admin

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Before I get into this article I have to make an admission, I love food, and yes most of the time I do enjoy my diet, is it always the healthiest, well, then unfortunately I would have to say no. When I started this website I was more than just grossly overweight, and as one doctor jestingly stated that he had seen fitter corpses. I have come a long way since then, fitness wise I have accomplished more than I expected, but my weight loss is definitely behind schedule.

When we are young time isn’t very important, and the future almost appears to be infinity, (please stay with me here as I do have a point to make) but once we reach our mid sixties, we realize how fast a lifetime passes, and how much faster time seems to be passing us by. Now my point is, because time passes so fast, and we don’t have any rehearsals, just the one take at life, its important that we enjoy every minute as much as we can, and that has to include our food.

I know a couple of people my age who constantly worry about what they should and shouldn’t eat, if they have put any weight on, and the silly part is, they are far from being overweight, and if anything I would say they are underweight. In my view life is too short for that, but I am not saying live on McDonald’s, or have fries with every meal, or eat cream cakes every day, but every now and then in moderation can’t do any harm. Now I know there are going to be some of you out there shaking your heads going “no no that can’t be right” but please bare with me until the end of this article, and my point will be explained.

I must say I hate the word diet, it just conjurers up all the wrong images for me, rice cakes, bland looking meals, cabbage soup, all the things that make us cringe, so I think it should be meal plan, or eating plan, it sounds so much more appetising. Healthy does not have to be bland, you can make some very tasty meals, and still lose weight, and I will be giving you some of my favourite recipes later in this article.

In the opening of this article I said “is my diet always the healthiest, then unfortunately I would have to say no” now let me explain what I meant. Some things I have been able to give up when I needed to, smoking, alcohol, no problem, but stick to a strict eating plan, and I am in trouble, for me it is difficult, and sometimes I do eat something that I know I shouldn’t. Now I am lucky, as a young friend of mine is a fitness trainer, and qualified dietitian. I have to say he has given up trying to get me to stick to his eating plans, but he has come up with an alternative that seems to be working quite well for me.

When I say I sometimes eat things that I know I shouldn’t, I don’t mean that I binge out on cakes and ice cream, though that is a disgustingly nice thought, no seriously its just enough to slow down my weight loss. Now when you think about it, what my friend has come up with is nothing more than plain common sense. He has said that as I enjoy my eating plan and its not outrageous on the days when I do bend the rules a bit, I just spend more time exercising, or do an extra walk before I go to bed, it seems like a fair trade-off to me. This brings with it extra benefits, because I can often find the answer to a nagging problem when I am walking, it can clear your head and give you a fresh perspective on things.

Lets get down to the important bit food, and when you enjoy food like I do, one thing that helps is to fill up on a bowl of tasty healthy soup before your main meal. While I was researching for (Weight Loss Foods That Can Help to Shed Those Excess Pounds), celery kept cropping up, as a good source of fibre, and a very healthy snack. I have to say that celery was one vegetable I thought was put here to annoy us, I absolutely hated the stuff, because of those disgusting stringy bits that keep getting stuck in your teeth. I now have to admit that celery makes fantastic soup, (you can find it on my recipes page) and is now one of my favourites along with, Leek Potato and Carrot soup. Both of these are really tasty, and great fillers before any main course.

Food is very important, but enjoying the food we eat is also very important, of course we need to be careful, but that shouldn’t stop it having plenty of flavour. I have had some requests for healthy recipes, and I have decided to now include a recipes page, and over the coming weeks I hope to be constantly adding to the list of tasty and healthy choices, so then if you are stuck and need some ideas, you will be able to just go to the recipes page. Just a couple of reminders before I go, water is our friend, for losing weight, drink at least 2 litres per day, but 3 litres is better. Increase your water intake, and after a couple of weeks you will notice your skin looking younger. Secondly eating slowly is the secret to eating less, it gives your body a chance to let you know when you have eaten enough, and you soon find you are enjoying your food more. Also watch out for the monthly news letter which will be starting soon, with health and exercise tips and more recipes for spring…..

The Most Common Dieting Mistakes

Posted on February 16, 2014 by admin

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When it comes to dieting there are many mistakes that are made on a near daily basis. While there are many real profound mistakes that go along with the territory, there is a few that seemed to have far more profound and lasting implications than others. Hopefully by learning about these mistakes you can learn to avoid them in your own weight loss pursuits.

Perhaps the single largest mistake that dieters make is adopting an all or nothing attitude. These are the dieters that scour the pantry and the refrigerator removing anything that could be seen as a potential source of temptation. They embark on a dietary regimen that is nearly impossible to maintain and believe that all is lost the moment they stray from the strict guidelines of their diet.

While this may work for some in the short term, it sets them up for failure, frustration, and ill will towards the entire dieting process. The important thing when it comes to dieting is the goal. Your goal is to shed pounds. There are many ways in which this can be done that do not require starving yourself or punishing yourself in the process.

Another great mistake when it comes to dieting is selecting a diet plan where you eat the same thing every day. Despite our human need for structure and routine we tend to enjoy changing our lunch routine on occasion. Select a diet or new nutrition plan that allows you to enjoy a wide variety of foods rather than one that limits you to the same meal or meal selection day in and day out.

Other common mistakes include depriving yourself of everything you enjoy. One thing that we often forget is the importance of moderation. Fill up on servings of fruits and vegetables but allow yourself to enjoy the occasional indulgence for the sake of sanity. If you never allow yourself to enjoy a taste of chocolate, why on earth would you want to live forever? Seriously, do not forget to enjoy food for the sake of dieting. There is nothing wrong or sinful about enjoying food. The problem lies when you enjoy only the wrong sorts of foods.

You should also avoid the mistake of not setting goals. While you do not want to set goals that are impossible to achieve you should also avoid the opposite end of the spectrum, which involves having no goals at all. Those who set aggressive goals that are achievable will see the greatest degree of success. Making those goals public and asking for support is another thing that will help you achieve greater success. This is one reason the Weight Watchers program has enjoyed the phenomenal success is has.

The final mistake when it comes to dieting that is made all too often is giving up. We all have setbacks along the way. Even those who have achieved monumental dieting success have met with failure on the road. The end result however, for those who stick with the plan is a healthier body and that is something that is worth fighting for. Your goals may get side tracked but you can set new goals. You may have had a bad day or even a bad week when it comes to your dietary goals and plans. Do not let this defeat your desires to become a healthier you.

Learn to overcome those mistakes and move on from them. Let your failures teach you as much as your successes and you should be well on your way to the healthier person that you know is hiding inside. Whether you want to get rid of 10 pounds or 210 pounds the only way to achieve that goal and make it last is by dedicating yourself to the process of becoming a healthier person. A healthy person has healthy eating habits and doesn’t starve him or herself. Nor does a healthy person binge on things that aren’t healthy. Learn to enjoy food in moderation and you should be well on your to the success you seek.

How to lose belly fat

Posted on February 6, 2014 by admin

The Sudden Shock

Its every guy’s nightmare, you step out the shower one Saturday morning and look in the mirror, and there it is, the jelly belly. It’s at that point you realize, you don’t play ball in the yard any more, now the kids just want to go to the mall, and play a different type of game with the girls, rather than play ball with dad. You start to think about those late nights with the lads drinking the cold beers, and those unnecessary stops for burgers and fries on the way home, and now you’re paying the price, with belly fat. There is one comforting fact if you can call it that, you are not alone, because at present around 40% of the population in the US, suffer from belly fat. Luckily we are living in what many are calling the information age, and therefore we don’t need to look far, to get the help we need in dietary matters, and most things regarding our general good health.

The Results Are In

Now don’t be one of those guys who say’s “wow how did this happen” because nobody goes to bed on a Friday, with a fit athletic body, then wakes on Saturday morning with a jelly belly. We all know this is not something that happens overnight, but it can creep up on us slowly. When we have young families you are always chasing around, playing with the kids, and burning off all those calories, but slowly things change and the chasing becomes walking, or worse, on the couch watching a ball game, often with a cold beer, and now you’re just adding calories. Since all the fast food chains have sprung up, we seem to have social eating. How many times have you met up with friends at a fast food joint, and had a burger and fries, with a coke or shake, when you’ve not even been hungry, and don’t say never because we all have at some time. Also with today’s busy schedules, it’s so much easier to eat on the go, than to be at home and prepare a proper healthy meal. So there we have it; bad diet + lack of exercise = belly fat, but saying that there are some people with thyroid, and other medical conditions which effect the metabolism and cause weight gain.

How we lose it

The bad news here is, exercise alone will not get rid of your belly fat, or abdominal obesity as it is sometimes called, but you need to do something about it as it poses a real health hazard. Exercises that strengthen your abdominal muscles will make you feel better and make you look trimmer, but you need to do more. The key is a balanced healthy diet, with regular exercise, and to start with that could be up to an hour per day, to start breaking that fat down. It doesn’t need to be anything extreme, brisk walking; swimming and cycling are all good, or you could do a mix of all three. Now it’s not all bad news, here is a bit of very good news, when you start dieting and exercising, the first thing to start to go is belly fat, and that works the same with most people.

Crunch That Belly

If you really want to lose that belly you have got to work those abdominal muscles. Again it doesn’t need to be anything extreme, if you were to do twenty-five sit-up’s as soon as you get up in the morning, and again last thing at night, which would be a great start. You can also develop strong abdominal muscle by, sucking in your stomach, fully exhaling while trying to suck in even harder, and holding for ten seconds. This works just as well if you are standing or on the floor on your hands and knees. There is a pelvic exercise which works well on abdominal muscles; Lie on your back with your knees bent. Tighten your abdominal muscles and bend your pelvis up slightly. Hold for five to 10 seconds. Repeat ten times. Once you start to see the results it’s easy to motivate yourself to continue and really get back in shape. If you want some diet tips take a look here; http://www.theweightlosspath.com/category/diets/

Healthy Dieting Tips.

Posted on February 4, 2014 by admin

The Basics of Weight Loss

When it comes to dieting you will find all kinds of crazy and faddish diets on the market today. In addition to the many diets there seems to be every kind of diet aid you can imagine. From shakes the diet industry has evolved to include everything from candy bars and pudding to pills and patches. Each item makes the claim that it can help you drop those unwanted pounds quickly and easily. Well I can tell you for a fact there is very little easy for most of us about dropping a few pounds.

If you would like a few tips that should make your weight loss goals a little easier to achieve then perhaps the following tips will help you out.

Drink Plenty of Water

There really isn’t enough that can be said about the importance of drinking water in an effort to reach your fitness goals. Water hydrates the body first and foremost but water is also an important way of tricking your body into believing it is full. Other drinks do not work nearly as well as water in this endeavour and many drinks, even fruit juices, contain empty calories that you can ill afford when dieting.

Another great thing about drinking a lot of water while dieting, is that it helps your skin retain its elasticity so you can avoid some of the ‘loose skin’ look that often accompanies massive weight loss. As an added bonus drinking plenty of water will have your skin looking radiant and beautiful as well.

Set Goals

Having goals is one of the most important things you can do when working to lose weight. Try to make sure that your goals are aggressive but can be achieved. If you are frustrated early in the dieting process by unrealistic goals you are much more likely to give up. However, challenges are always going to inspire us to achieve greater things in life. If you can find a ‘weight loss partner’ in order to have a little friendly competition for the weight loss totals for a week or a month then you are going to be far more likely to accomplish your goals than if you keep them quietly to yourself.

Eat More

Did you read that twice? Yes, eat more healthy foods that are high in fibre. Eat more vegetables and fruits, fill up on these foods that are good for you and you will not be inclined to binge on calorie laden junk food.

Move!

While this seems a little too simply stated for most, getting up and moving is one of, if not the absolute best way to burn calories. The simple truth is that you are not going to lose weight unless you use more calories than you consume. The more activities you enjoy that burn calories, the more likely you are to shed those unwanted pounds and meet your weight loss goals.

Some great activities that actually burn calories include the following: gardening, golf, dancing, playing volleyball, walking, jumping rope, playing hop scotch with your little ones, and playing tennis. I mention these activities because you can trick yourself into believing that you aren’t really exercising while burning calories. Even cleaning house requires movement and energy and if you dance around a little to some good music in the process you might burn a few extra calories.

Dieting, when successful can help restore self image and self-esteem in people who are otherwise beautiful people inside and out. The steps above are not the only things that are involved in the dieting process but they can help you reach your weight loss goals particularly when combined with a diet plan that you feel confident you can follow. Be sure that on those days when will power is non-existent that you do not derail your diet efforts all together by giving up. The most important thing you can do when dieting is to go back to dieting once you’ve strayed.

Why Should We Bother to Exercise?

Posted on January 31, 2014 by admin

Exercise and Arthritis

Wherever our bones meet, there is also cartilage, a rubbery, protective layer that ensures your joints bend smoothly and painlessly. But even cartilage cannot do this tremendous job alone. A thin membrane called the “synovium” provides fluid that lubricates the moving parts of the joint. When the cartilage wears out of the synovium becomes inflamed, the result is generally a case of “osteoarthritis” or “rheumatoid arthritis.”

In osteoarthritis, the cartilage can be eroded so much that bone does rub on bone. Those type of arthritis develops gradually over a lifetime as a simple result of the wear and tear placed on your joints over the years. Very few people escape some degree of osteoarthritis, though the severity varies a great deal.

As a matter of fact, if you are over the age of 50, you are likely to have at least one joint affected by osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis affects men and women equally and is by far the most common type of arthritis, with almost 16 million Americans in the list.

In rheumatoid arthritis, damage to the synovium is at the source of trouble. Doctors and researchers are not absolutely sure what causes it, but most think that rheumatoid arthritis is a disease in which the immune system actually attacks certain tissues in the body, including those that connect the joints and the synovium.

Rheumatoid arthritis begins with swollen, red, stiff, and painful joints, but it may progress until scar tissue forms in the joint or, in extreme cases, until the bones actually fuse together. Almost 75% of the 2 million people with rheumatoid arthritis in the United States are women. The disease can hit as early as teen years.

Exercising Your Prevention Options

Investing a little time in developing a good weight-bearing low-impact exercise and stretching plan can add up to great results when it comes to staving off arthritis pain. Strong muscles help protect the joints from wear and tear, and the movement keeps joints flexible.

That is why the quest for fitness is at hand, even if you are 50 years and over. However, most Americans over 50 are still right where they always were sitting back and watching others jog by. Most of them contend that that is just for people who have been athletic all their life, or some say exercise is for young people and engaging into exercise will do them more harm than good.

There are still some that insist on excusing their selves in exercise routines because they do not just have time or they have less energy than ever before. These are all lame excuses. Hence, it is time to start to get rid of those pains. Start exercising.

Consequently, preventing arthritis is not an exact science, but physicians have discovered a few ways to lower your risk. Here is how:

1. Do not weight around

The single most important measure anyone can take to prevent osteoarthritis of the knee is to lose weight if they are overweight. Extra weight puts extra stress on your knees. If you are 10 pounds overweight, for example, you put 60 pounds per square inch of extra pressure on your knees every time you take a step. That extra pressure can slowly but surely erode the cartilage in your knees, leading to arthritis.

A study has clearly supported the theory that weight loss weighs in on the side of prevention. In the study, overweight women who lost 11 pounds or more over a 10-year period decreased their risk of developing osteoarthritis of the knee by 50%.

2. Stretch those muscles

Any kind of stretching is good as long as you do not bounce, which can lead to a muscle pull. This is according to some of the professors of clinical medicine in New York City.Try to hold a slow, steady stretch for 15 to 20 seconds, then relax and repeat. It is best to flex up by stretching before any exercise, especially running and walking. But it is also a good idea to stretch each day. Ask your doctor to teach you stretches that focus on potential arthritis trouble spots, such as the knees or the lower back.

3. Walking is always the best exercise

Take a good long walk at least three times a week or participate in a step-aerobics or low-impact exercise routine maximum results. There is no proof that running is bad for the joints, but remember, it may aggravate an injury if you already have one. Just remember to check with your doctor before starting a new exercise program.

The bottom line is that of all the healthful habits, exercise is the most important. This is because people are designed to be active. Hence, it is really important for people to exercise in order to stay healthy and keep those joints free from wear and tear.

Just keep in mind that the un-exercised body, even if free from the symptoms of illness or problems like arthritis, is not at its full potential. Hence, start exercising right now!

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